Thrill of the Hunt
by beingtrash
Summary: In the time she had been living with the overbearing dragon, Lucy was grateful to say she was happy. But trouble is brewing in the darkest corners of Fiore, and in this world of mythical creatures, nothing is safe. Especially the exciting life Lucy has built for herself. Join her as she stumbles through love and friendship; avoiding a darkness that aims to destroy just that.
1. Prologue

The sun was high in the sky, peeking out once and a while from behind the clouds. The seven year old sighed, running her palm along the grass, breathing in the small bit of freedom she was given before it would be snatched away from her once again. Lucy's garden was most likely the furthest she would ever get from the castle. Her silk dress was strewn across the grass, and her short, golden hair swayed back and forth in the wind. She watched the leaves tumble across the grass before flying with the wind, up above the gates that trapped her and away. Away from this cursed place.

Don't give her wrong, Lucy was grateful for all the fancy food and pretty clothes, she loved the staff who would make her laugh with their silly antics. She loved her father and she was _pretty_ sure he loved her too, it was amazing but it wasn't what she wanted.

When her mother, deceased Queen Layla Heartfilia had fallen in love with her father, King Jude, they had never expected a child quite like Lucy.

Although she was only seven, she was unlike most humans her age. While they cowered in fear of the outside creatures that weren't like them, Lucy was intrigued. Her father had continuously warned her, how every one of them would _kill_ her if they had the chance. Even so, she really wanted to meet one. She wanted to see a mermaid, a demon or a werewolf. But most of all, she wanted to see a dragon.

Lucy sent out a breath of air, looking at the castle she called home. _Guess its about time I head back,_ she thought. Taking one last look at the bright, blue sky before turning around and skipping towards the mansion.

"Good afternoon Leo! It's really sunny today don't you think?" Lucy asked her butler as she ran through the side entrance of the castle.

"Indeed Princess Lucy. Is there anything I can do for you?" Leo inquired.

"Nothing right now!" Lucy shouted, already halfway up the spiral stair case. Leo smirked as he carried on cleaning, _what a bizarre child,_ he thought.

Now that's what most people said after meeting Lucy. Aside for the fact that she seemed fearless for someone so young, she was incredibly intelligent. Despite her age, she was learning methods and calculations beyond her years. She could read and write fluently in several different languages and had read nearly every book in the kingdom. This intellect, according to Capricorn, had been passed down from Lucy's mother. She smiled when he told her that. Nothing made Lucy happier than hearing about Layla.

A year before, when Lucy was only six, her mother had passed away and her father started ignoring her. During this time, Lucy had realised she was alone. Her mother had given her the one thing she had asked for - love, and now she was gone, Lucy had lost it. She didn't want the money, or riches or toys. She wanted friends of whom she could play with.

She wanted so badly to feel love again. But now, as she stumbled up the stairs, faking the smile she always carried with her, she suddenly asked herself - what's keeping her here? Her father? Certainly not. So, what was it? Lucy stopped abruptly, her seven year old mind finally coming to terms with herself. The answer was so simple: nothing. So, at that moment, she decided. As soon as the opportunity arose, she would leave, and find her own way in life.

Surprisingly, it didn't take long for that opening to reveal itself. Two week later in fact, as she went on her normal morning stroll in the garden, she found the entrance that was once locked and surrounded by guards, swinging opening in the wind. Getting over the initial shock, she shook her head, _not now Lucy_ , and she made a run for it.

Somewhere, hidden in the shadows, stood a fateful butler, swinging the entry key on one finger and the fake message from Jude that cleared the guards out in seconds, still lingering on his lips. _"Go on Lucy,"_ smiled Leo. _"I look forward to seeing you again."_

_._._._._._

It had started to rain. The light pattering of the drops had started shortly after she left the castle. The patter didn't stay long though, soon, the force of the water had been as stronger than a bag of bricks. And, in a pathetic attempt to shield herself, she hovered her hands over her head.

Hours went by before Lucy found shelter. The shelter in question was a large cave tucked in the corner of a mountain. Maybe it wasn't the luxury she was used to, but something was always better than nothing.

When she reached it, her fear of the dark kept her from traveling deeper than the entrance. So, she waited and watched the rain. It was cold, she was tired and as she gazed ahead, Lucy found herself with thoughts of her father. He must have noticed her absence by now. Or maybe not, he wasn't like a normal concerned parent after all.

She sighed, feeling her eyelids getting heavy. And as she drifted off to sleep, Lucy prayed that the night would be bliss. That she could sleep and wake up to her new life. At that moment, she couldn't have known that this was very far from the truth.

Natsu heard it before he saw it. A creature probably, but from the sounds of the footsteps, small. He found himself growling under his breath, it'd been awhile since there had been an intruder. Flames licked from his palms, slowly creeping up his arm towards his shoulder. He didn't need his dragon form to deal with whatever was out there. And with a final burst of energy, he tore towards the cave's entrance.

He wasn't far from his destination and, combined with his speed, he was there in a matter of seconds. The creature who - he presumed - was here to steal Igneel's gold, was sleeping soundly. It had a mane of shining golden hair, a petite nose and dainty figure. Whatever it was, Natsu found himself lowering his guard, carefully studying it. He noticed more details, how short it was, how peaceful it looked, how _good_ it smelled. He was about to sit next to it, when a loud crash was heard from outside.

" _Natsu_ , _what are you doing with a human girl?"_ Came Igneel's voice, rippling through the cave and waking Lucy out of her slumber. The first thing she noticed was Natsu, she smiled, still half dazed, looking around slowly, her eyes landed on the giant dragon staring at her with bloodthirsty intent. Three seconds went by before she started to scream, hiding behind the boy in desperation. "Igneel! Dad! I think it's harmless!" Came Natsu's voice, Igneel halted his attack for a moment.

 _"You're being ridiculous Natsu, the only human I have ever met who wasn't hostile was-"_ Igneel turned towards the girl, finally noticing something. _"Layla?"_ Lucy instantly stopped screaming, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"Excuse me, did you know my mama?" The truth dawned upon Igneel, of course it wasn't Layla, even he had heard the news of the Queen's passing.

 _"Yes, I did. We were friends a long time ago, long before you were born. My name is Igneel, you're Lucy, I presume?"_ Lucy nodded eagerly, all previous worries gone. "That's me!" She clambered out from her hiding place behind Natsu, she averted her gaze from the dragon to stare at the boy.

 _"Lucy, meet my son, Natsu."_ Lucy smiled, studying his pink hair for a moment before holding out her hand for a shake. Confused, Natsu stared at it with inquiry. "You shake it." Lucy giggled, grasping his hand and held it in her own. She moved it up and down gently, and Natsu found himself smiling along with Lucy. Whoever she was, he liked her.

"Hi Luigi, I'm Natsu!" He yelled, puffing out his chest and blowing a small jet of fire in her direction. It dissolved before meeting her, leaving a small halo of smoke to grace her face. "Nice to know." She coughed, letting go of his hand. "I'm sorry Mr Igneel, Natsu. Is this your cave? I can leave if you want." Igneel was about to decline, when Natsu laughed behind her.

"Leave? You're joking right? You must've come here for a reason, stay. It'll be fun."

Never had anyone but her mother shown so much compassion. It touched Lucy's heart and she found herself wavering between her options. She could make her own choices now, she could stay here. Without even noticing, she was nodding eagerly, her lips moving on their own. "Please, if I could." Igneel stared into the girl's eyes, nodding.

 _"Of course, make yourself at home."_

_._._._._._

The forest was beautiful at night. The moon shimmered behind the array of trees, creating a calming atmosphere. Everything seemed like it was perfect. A great, red dragon lay sleeping, his mind at peace. Although, at the time, Igneel could never have known the horror that was waiting only a few hours away.

Hidden in the depths of the trees, shrouded by darkness, Natsu and Lucy were laughing. It has been three months since she had left home and she was happier than she had ever been. The sun danced in her eyes as Natsu jumped from tree to tree; roaring like a dragon. Lucy loved watching his quick reflexes and body swerve - seemingly on its own - to grab onto each branch.

Natsu was moved so swiftly through the trees that he lost sight of Lucy for a few minutes. It was only when he heard the high-pitched shriek of a girl, did he halt, swinging himself around in the direction he came. It took only a couple of seconds for Natsu to see her again and it definitely was not in the way he wanted.

From the small dot in the distance that was becoming bigger by the second, Natsu could just make out the squirming figure of Lucy and, what looked to be several men dressed in all black.

At that moment, the thought had never occurred that these men had any relation to her. His vision was clouded in crimson, reaching towards Lucy, body coated in flames.

"Whatcha want with her? She's done nothing to you! Let her go!" The men, despite his sudden outburst, paid him no mind, yanking Lucy's wrist so it was held painfully behind her back. She shrieked, stammering for them to stop.

Anger.

Natsu roared; the roar of a dragon, shaking the trees and making the forest tremble to his will. Scales slowly began to creep up his neck, smothering his face as wings errupted from his back. Suddenly, everything was quiet. Only the calm, crackling of fire bled through the silence.

"Fuck! This kid isn't human!" One of them stammered, "Are you fucking crazy or some shit? Drop the bitch and run!"

"But, but the king he-" Another argued, hands still clutching Lucy's arm.

"The king can go fuck himself, I didn't sign up for this." Seeming to silently agree, the men picked off, one by one, running off from whence they came.

"AND DON'T EVEN THINK," the ground trembled, "OF COMING BACK!"

_._._._._._

Around a year and a half after Lucy had first started living with the dragons, she had gotten sick. _It's nothing major_ , Igneel had assured Natsu, _just a simple cold, humans get them sometimes_.

Despite his reassurance that Lucy was okay, Natsu stayed with her. Keeping her fever down, ensuring she kept hydrated, telling her stories of times before they'd met; tales of wicked adventures involving mermaids and demons and grouchy old trolls. He kept her laughing (although sometimes it hurt to).

Even when the great dragon came to collect him for training, he refused. "Lucy might die if I leave!" He exaggerated, throwing his hands up in distress. "Her fever is getting better but she won't stop-", a sharp hacking cough, "See! She won't stop coughing!". Igneel chuckled, a deep rumbling sound that shook the trees.

 _"Okay, if that's what you want. But I don't want you neglecting your training."_ Igneel morphed to his human form, ruffling Natsu's hair before turning to address Lucy. _"You keep him outta trouble.",_ he smiled crouching down to her level and talking her hand, _"And get better soon, okay?"._ Lucy nodded eagerly, golden hair falling in her face as she did so.

Needless to say, Lucy woke up better the next day.

_._._._._._

Something that had become apparent was that Igneel was prone to long hunting trips. He would leave in the middle of the night, not coming back for weeks on end. On these occasions, Natsu and Lucy would have to find their own food. Eating berries and small rodents for survival, huddling together for warmth. Not that she minded, Igneel was a fully grown dragon and he had his own duties to talk care of. Besides, her pink haired companion was surprisingly warm.

She didn't mind, that is, until he didn't come back. It was sometime in the middle of winter, the darkness draped over the sky like a blanket of frost, making her shiver as she slept. Looking back on it, she had never been sure if the cold had woken her or the noise. Rustling and sharp thuds against the stone floor shook the cave as the gigantic creature trudged towards the exit.

Opening her eyes, Lucy smiled, still half asleep "You should say bye to Natsu before you leave Igneel, he'll be sad if you go without-" The dragon morphed into a human before she could finish her sentence, kissing her gently on the forehead. Red hair as fiery as a furnace draping over his eyes. " _He probably won't even notice I'm gone, he is an idiot Lucy_." Giggling softly, she nodded.

"While that may be true Igneel, I think you should at least tell him you're leaving."

In answer, the now human walked over to his son and roughly shook him awake. " _Get up you lazy ass, I'm 'bout to go_! _Oi, oi kid_!" Natsu woke with a jolt,

"Who? What? When? Luce are you oka- Dad?" Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he turned to his father, now seemingly fully awake "Are you going on another trip? Take me! Take me with you! COME ON YOU PROMISED!"

" _Natsu_." Igneel sighed, running his hand through his hair. " _I've told you before, I'm not taking Lucy with me so I can't take you. You have to protect her, remember? The dragon always protects the princess_." Although dejected, Natsu nodded.

"I'm always gonna protect Luce! Cause she's my treasure, and a dragon never let's go of their treasure!" He pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her, "Never ever!"

" _Good. I'll see you two in a few days, I love you._ " He smiled, as he said it, hugging them both as he stepped outside. _But it was all a lie._

They waited weeks, months, probably a whole year in that cave. They only had each other for company and they became closer than ever. Training was their only pass time, fighting the monsters that dared to wander into their domain. Lucy was pretty sure she would've gone insane without Natsu, both of them hanging onto the hope that Igneel would return.

On Natsu's eleventh birthday, as Lucy sang to him, he finally snapped. "I've had enough of this!" He screamed, making Lucy jump back in surprise. "What is it? What's going on?"

"We are going to find Igneel, we are going to look for him as long as it takes! And then we're going to demand an explanation!" Lucy cheered and grabbed his hand in hers, something that'd become natural during all their time together.

"Pack your things, we leave _tonight._ "

 **_._._._._._**

 **Hope you enjoyed the prologue of my new story,** _ **Thrill of the Hunt**_ **. This was mainly to set the scene for Natsu and Lucy's relationship, and where their journey began. Just to add some context, Natsu is a year older than Lucy and, in the next chapter, Lucy will be eighteen, whilst Natsu will, consequently, be nineteen.**

 **Feel free to leave reviews on what you think.**


	2. Man With The Cape

He was a monster hidden in plain sight. Eyes dark and alluring, his hair a startling shade of dark blue. If the rings weren't some indication, it seemed the client was right about him; infatuation magic. Lucy tried to hide her disgust as she smiled warmly at him.

"Bora! You're so handsome and talented!" Bellowed a girl from behind her.

"Please let me be your wife Bora! I'll love you forever!"

"His eyes- his hair- who wouldn't love a man like you?"

 _Utterly disgraceful_ , Lucy thought as she tried to blend in with the rest of the girls, _they don't even know they're being tricked_. The disgusting man was practically drinking in the praise, a smug grin plastered to his face.

The blonde sighed through clenched teeth, tugging on her scarf, she looked towards the man with as much admiration and love as she could muster. _Here it goes._

"Excuse me Bora-sama." She stuttered, eyes glimmering as she stood in front of the man in question, "I, I was wondering if, if maybe you'd like to, maybe go somewhere or maybe do something, together?"

Bora took the bait. "Oh, fairest maiden," he began, taking Lucy's hand in his own, "nothing would make me happier; let us meet at sunset. Meet me at my party and I'll make all your worries disappear, for that is a simple task for the great Salamander!" He relished in the cheers that followed, turning back towards the crowd, "I look forward to seeing the rest of you lovely ladies there as well! You all shall be treated with the upmost respect and I will personally see to every one of you having a great time. Until then, however, I must depart. Farewell, maidens of Hargeon." And with that, he was gone.

Just like that, the spell was broken. Lucy shook her head, loosening her scarf as she watched as the girls dispersed into mindless chatter, unaware of their recent bewitchery.

"Hey Luce, how'd it go?" A ripple of relief came over Lucy as she turned around, eyes lighting up at the sight of her best friend.

She threw her arms around him, pressing her face into his chest as she grumbled, "Just another creepy weirdo, being a huge dick to make up for his lack of one. He's got this weird tattoo above his eye, he constantly looks like he needs a shit and he was wearing this stupid cape! And to top it all off," Lucy lifted her face from Natsu's chest, looking into his eyes, "I'm pretty sure he's pretending to be you, too."

Natsu's eyes narrowed, "Wait, 'old up a second there. What?" Lucy reluctantly took a step back, crossing her arms as she tugged on a loose strand of her hair in irritation.

"I know! Those nicknames we got in Oak Town after defeating the cult of vampires, Salamander and Stella? Yeah, well, he was calling himself ' _the great Salamander_ ' so I assume that he-" Natsu cut her off.

"No, not that. I don't care. I wanna know why the hell he's wearing a fucking cape. Is he a joke or somethin'? Don't he realise what a huge disadvantage that is a battle?" Lucy facepalmed, of _course_ that's what he was worried about. Not the potential theft of his identity, no, the _cape_.

"Might I remind you, that _you_ wore a cape, back when you were, what, thirteen, fourteen? I remember you specifically saying ' _it looks cool Lulu, everyone is wearing them_! Thinking about it like that, you're being a little bit of a hypocrite Nat." Lucy shook her head, chuckling at Natsu's sour expression.

"I don't know what a hippo-concrete is, but I've learnt that capes are a big no-no. I almost died when that yeti took a 'old of it back on Mt. Hakobe; definitely not worth it." Natsu shuddered at the memory; Lucy's horrified expression as he was plucked for the air, the yeti's sharp teeth, the smell of rotting flesh. _Never again._

"Yeah, yeah whatever." Lucy punched his arm playfully, "On another note, where's Happy?" Natsu's eyes trailed around himself.

"HAPPY!" He shouted, "I swear he was just he there a second ago." Lucy glared at him, about to go on a rant about responsibility and looking after each other, before a huge gust of wind nearly knocked her over. Natsu looked up, eyes lighting up as he pointed at the sky.

"There he is."

She was reluctant to look up, already hearing the gasps of horror and frightened chatter that had erupted around them. Finally, her eyes found the spot directly above them.

Happy was definitely a sight to see, a giant mass of blue feathers and fur, two huge wings beating against the wind. Claws sharpened to killing machines, beak pointed in a sharp arch.

"IT'S A GRIFFIN!" Someone screamed, mass panic spreading like wild fire across the town. _That's what we get_ , Lucy groaned internally, _for going to a village only occupied by humans and wizards._

When she heard someone yell "Arrows!", Lucy began to panic.

"HAPPY!" She yelled. Said griffin immediately flew down, landing in front of her, his eyes alert and ready. "Natsu, you've got to get him out of here. Hide in the woods or something. Meet me by the docs just before sunset. Then we can get this job done, collect the money from the client and then get the hell out of here."

"Sounds good, I'll see you soon Luce." He ruffled her hair before hopping on Happy's back, "Up Happy." The griffin lifted from the ground, feathers fluttering as he soared into the sky.

"It's leaving everyone, the griffin is leaving! We're safe. Can everyone please calm down!" Her voice cut through the chaos like a knife through hot butter, everyone looking towards her.

"What was that?"

"Was that a person on its back?"

"I'm scared, will it come back?"

"Everything will be fine," Lucy assured, "I've read about griffins before and they are typically calm creatures, most of them tend to travel alone and, to my knowledge, have never been known any to attack without good reason."

Lucy hoped none of them knew anything about griffins, because everything she had just said was a lie.

_._._._._._

Light peeked out from the edge of the horizon, bathing the sky in a mix of rich red and orange. Lucy sat on the pier, golden hair blowing slightly in the wind, watching as the waves slapped softly against the shore.

Her eyes were beginning to grow heavy. The red dress she barely had the money to purchase felt tight and uncomfortable. As she almost succumbed to the faded colours of the sky, Lucy was jerked awake by a voice she knew all too well. "Luce!"

The blonde stretched out her body, lifted herself away from the pier as she greeting her friend. "Hi Natsu, Happy. Cutting it a bit close, aren't we?" She smirked, gesturing to the sky, already deepening into a dark blue.

"Sorry," Natsu had the curtesy to look sheepish, "We kinda got caught up whilst fishing. What's the plan?"

"I want you two to be flying close to the ship, but not close enough that they can see you. When I shout for you, it's either because something's gone wrong, or he's ready to be taken into custody. Do you understa-" The dragon cut her off.

"I could do more than that Luce!" He complained, angry that he wouldn't be able to do much fighting.

The blonde raised an eyebrow. "One word, Natsu: transportation."

The colour immediately drained out of his face, his knees buckling so that he lay in a pathetic heap on the floor. "You're, you're _cruel_ Lucy. Truly cruel."

She smirked, "I try." A loud, piercing horn suddenly sounded and Lucy perked up. "That's my cue. I'm going to board now, remember the plan." She reminded as she started to walk away, "I love you two, stay out of trouble!"

The boarding was quick, everyone shovelling past each other as they clawed towards the entrance. Hair and purses were yanked in the scuffle, some attempting to climb onto railings to reach the opulence on board.

The boat was truly beautiful. A large, luxury ship with a huge decking area and a multitude of rooms that all held their own activities inside. People were laughing and drinking, some dancing to the music that bled through the speakers. All around, a very extravagant party.

A glass of something orange was suddenly shoved into her hands, "Don't worry babes," A drunk girl slurred, "I won't give ya nothin' 'at aint alcholic, I'm not tryna poison ya or nothin'."

"Uh, thanks, I guess?" The blonde chuckled as the girl moved onto her next victim. Lucy looked at the liquid slushing around in her cup, and sniffed it. She instantly recoiled, dropping the drink into a nearby plant whilst no one was looking. There might be a little more to this case than she previously thought, why else would they put sleeping pills in the drinks?

 _Better start searching for Bora_ , Lucy thought, deciding to search inside when her eyes scanned and found nothing on deck.

The first room was the bar, and when it turned up nothing, she decided to ask the bartender. "Hello, excuse me, would you happen to know where Bora is?" The girl turned, her brown hair cascading down her shoulders, a stark contrast against her blue bra top.

"Another one of yalls? Man, this guy has girls dropping for him left and right. He's in that room over there." she pointed to a room near a table at the back, "Honestly though love, you could do a lot better, look at all the sexy motherfuckers in this world. You, my friend, are a hot piece of ass and need some of that shit. I'm Cana, what's your name?"

"Stella, nice to meet you." Lucy smiled, the name rolling off her tongue without hesitation, "I should probably get going though, I've been dying to see him since I got here. Thank you, Cana, maybe we can chat later!"

Cana nodded to her, turning back to making a cocktail for a girl with bleach blonde hair that had been tugged into two, tight pigtails. She was scowling, obviously angry at their conversing which had taken up some of her drinking time.

The door Cana had pointed her to was made of rich mahogany, lined with gems and diamonds. The handle seemed to be plated with gold and the blonde turned it hesitantly, happy to see it open with ease. Lock picking in this crowded place would not look good if she was caught.

Slipping inside, Bora's eyes shifted at the sound of the door opening and clicking shut. He was alone, spilled out on a pink armchair, arms and legs pointed in several different directions. Bora instantly began to recollect himself in the presence of Lucy, standing up to greet her as if nothing had ever happened.

"Oh, fair maiden, how I am enchanted by the presence of such beauty. May I ask of thou name, for I would wish nothing more than to put it beside pure perfection." She pretended to blush, trying to not feel alarmed when he locked the door behind her.

"It's Stella." She said simply. His eyes widened by a fraction, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.

"What, what a coincidence! That's the name of my partner. You've probably heard of us, Salamander and Stella, we're pretty famous!"

Lucy tried not to chuckle, "How exciting, where is Stella now?" He squirmed, fidgeting with his hands.

"She, uh, well she's, doing other things right now. You know how it is." Lucy pretended to look confused.

"I'm not quite sure what you mean by that Bora-sama. But now that I think about it, I remember hearing that the Salamander had _pink_ hair, and don't you have a griffin? And I'm sure I read that you were 5'9, and you look well above 6ft." Bora scoffed, flipping his hair out of his eyes.

"Dearest Stella, I'm afraid your information is wrong," he digressed, disappointment clear in his gaze, "but worry not, I shall set your facts straight. For starters, my hair is not pink, such colour would be a travesty to my complexion and frankly, to fashion in general. Secondly-"

Lucy cut him off. "Don't take this the wrong way Bora," her voice deepened, "but I don't think I believe you."

The bluenette looked shocked, his gaze falling to his rings, inspecting them in confusion. He then lifted it towards Lucy, narrowing his eyes as if finally, realising something. "Oh, I see it now." His voice was laced with resentment, raking his hand through his hair, eyes never leaving the blonde.

"My magic doesn't work on you does it, _Stella_?"" he began through gritted teeth, abandoning his calm demeaner, "You're _aware_ , how unseemly. And the fact your name is Stella must mean- Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? This game would be boring without a little mystery." Bora returned back to his stoic façade, strolling over to his armchair and lifting a china glass to his lips, sipping the liquid inside.

"Let's make a deal, you keep your mouth shut about my slave trading unit," he pulled a gun from his pocket and rising from his chair, "and maybe I'll let you live."

Lucy face remained flat, but her eyes held fury. "That was a bad move, shitbag." Lucy shifted towards the man, knocking the gun from his fumbling hands and kicking it away with her foot. Grabbing him by his shoulders, she rammed her knee into his stomach. Bora let out a chocking gasp as he leaned forward, Lucy ramming the side of her hand into his exposed neck. He fell, hands desperately grasping for a gun that wasn't there. "Don't ever try to threaten me again." The blonde glowered, taking his hand and yanking off the illegal rings.

"Probably a good time to call the real Salamander, don't you think?" Lucy crouched in front of his pathetic form, whispering now, "If I told him you threatened me," Her voice went cold, "he would burn you to ash. Now stay still and this can stay between us, 'cause I'm a lot less ruthless than he is."

"SALAMANDER, HAPPY!" Lucy yelled, "GET YOUR ASSES ON THIS SHIP!" Bora was trembling, hands clutching him head as he wept into the ground. This was it, this was where he died.

A rumble spread through the entire ship and, like magic, everything was _hot_. The humidity shot through the roof as everyone began to sweat at the influx of heat. Lucy could faintly hear the sound of Natsu wreaking havoc, as he always did.

"HEY THERE GUYS! YOU MOTHERFUCKERS BETTER GET OFF THIS SHIP CAUSE I'M 'BOUT TO BURN THIS SHIT _DOWN_!" It seemed like a harmony as everyone began to scream, jumping overboard to avoid the flames. Natsu didn't seem to understand, although Lucy had explained it to him on a multitude of occasions, that most of these people were innocent.

 _"_ SALAMANDER YOU'RE GOING WAY TOO FAR," Lucy screaming unlocking the door of the room and heading towards the deck, "IF I FIND OUT YOU'VE HURT ANY INNOCENT PERSON ON THIS SHIP, NOT EVEN THE GODS CAN SAVE YOU FROM MY WRATH!" The doors of the bar flew open as Lucy tore through the crowds, and what she saw can only be described as **chaos**.

The entire deck was on fire, people were screaming, praying and jumping for their lives. At the centre of it all, was Natsu. A dragon-human hybrid of wings and scales and fire. Lucy walked through the flames, Natsu long since haven controlled them enough to not touch her, towards the burning ball of fury. He was laughing manically, throwing jets of fire in all directions. Still, she remained unharmed, the flames a warm tickle against her pale skin.

"Natsu, calm down." Lucy said softly. He turned to her, eyes burning like the fire around him. "Natsu! I said stop it." She said more firmly, and he wavered slightly. "This is ridiculous Natsu! Look at all this destruction, you're acting like a child throwing a tantrum. Get down and fix this!"

The reaction was almost instant. Bright flames dulled to misty clouds of grey, his scales fading into dark beige as his tail began to retract. He lowered himself down, wings drooping in guilt.

"Sorry Luce, I guess I went a bit over the top." He pretended not to hear Lucy murmur _understatement of the century_ , "You okay though?" The human nodded, gesturing to herself. Apart from a few stray scratches, she was relatively unharmed.

"Now I need to get back inside to get Bora off this boat and into police custody- are you alright Natsu?" At the word boat, Natsu had instantly gone green, his stomach churning with each shuddering shake of the ship.

Lucy rested a hand on Natsu's back. "What's the matter? Did you get hurt?" Natsu tried to reply with a 'no', but as he opened his mouth, he wasn't able to stop what happened next.

Natsu really did hate motion sickness.

_._._._._._

"I can't _believe_ you vomited all over my new shoes!"

"Luce, it's been a week." Natsu silenced, shoving his hands over his ears. "An entire week of non-stop complaining about those shoes! A WHOLE WEEK!"

"Yes, a week of me not having my shoes because you destroyed them!" Lucy argued back, prying his hands from his head as she shouted in his ear. "Maybe if you wouldn't have blown up the entire ship, we would've got the whole reward and I would have enough money to buy a new pair!"

Happy made a growl in the back of his throat, silencing them both. If Happy wasn't happy anymore, it was time to stop talking.

Although only having lived with them for three years, Happy had become a huge part of their little family. He was young when they found him, wounded and abandoned. Lucy had nursed him back to health, making sure his injured wing wouldn't affect his flying in any way. Once he was well again, he was reluctant to leave his two companions, eventually just deciding to stick around. Haven been with them ever since, Happy made sure to keep his friends in line.

"What's this rumour about a dragon in Magnolia, Natsu?" Lucy inquired, changing the subject in order to keep Happy in a good mood. He let out a soft chirp of approval.

"Not really sure," He admitted, shrugging, "Heard some girls talking 'bout it, 'parrently Magnolia is a really diverse city, lots of types there."

"Wait, they're mythically diverse? That's, that's incredible." Lucy said in disbelief, "I didn't think anywhere accepted all types of myth."

"Just a rumour Luce, you never really know. I don't think we should let our guard down until we're sure." Lucy looked at the floor, disappointed.

"I guess you're right," The sky began to darken, "let's get our tent set up here, I don't really fancy not being able to see anything whilst we put it up." Natsu nodded, he could see perfectly well in the dark but Lucy, like most other humans, was practically blind.

The fire crackled loudly against the otherwise still forest. Lucy was leaning against Natsu, watching the fire rise and fall in wispy streaks of red, orange and yellow. The cold, winter night sent shivers down her spine. They sat in silence, Happy breathing soft snores from inside their tent.

Lucy decided to break the tranquillity, "Hey Natsu, I really hope we find Igneel soon.". Loosened her scarf in habit, she ran her index finger along the scales, "It's been so long, you know?"

Natsu chucked bitterly, "That's what this has all been for Luce. We'll find him, don't stress 'bout it too much."

"I can't help it, it's been nine years now, Nat. That's almost an entire decade that he's been missing. Eight years of searching with practically no leads."

Natsu let out a shuddering breath, "We can't give up now, Lucy. It'll be worth it in the end."

"Whatever it takes." She smiled, her eyes watering.

He balled his own scarf in his fist. " _Whatever_ it takes."

_._._._._._

 **Hello again! Thank you to everyone who is following along with this story, it means so much to me. Special thanks to Firefly9917, InuYoiushi, TurboWolf and Morenoel for leaving reviews on what they thought (Especially TurboWolf, who left some very useful constructive criticism that helped me with some wording issues. I'm still thinking about changing the lettering, as suggested, but I'm not too worried due to it mainly being matter of personal preference** **)**

 **Consulting updates, I will hopefully be able to release a new chapter every Monday if I have time. Of course, sometimes that won't be possible, but I'll try my best.**

 **Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed today's chapter. I actually ended up writing this twice because I wasn't happy with the first draft, crossing my fingers that this version is better.**

 **Once again, feel free to leave reviews on what you thought. Constructive criticism is always welcome, as well as your thoughts on how the story is going. Until next time guys.**

 **-Jasper**


	3. Queen of the Fairies

The human mind was truly the scariest thing of all. Humans could lie and cheat and betray each other without a second thought, making and breaking one another like it meant nothing. It was so different from his own principles, from how dragons were. Dragons were so loyal, only mating once in their lives; trusting few because trust was valuable. Loyalty meant everything to a dragon, it meant everything to _him_. Natsu didn't understand, he didn't _want_ to understand.

Natsu was afraid of Lucy, too. Although, not for the same reasons. He was afraid of the idea of losing her, because she was human. Lucy wasn't like most humans, of course, but she was still human. Lucy was his best friend, his _only_ friend (bar Happy, of course). He'd given too much of himself to her to just let her go.

"How much longer Nat? I'm so tired." Lucy groaned, snapping him out of his thoughts. "It's been three days already; shouldn't we be there by now?"

Natsu sighed, a long, exaggerated sigh that left smoke pooling from his lips. "I don't know Lu, smells pretty close." he shook his head in frustration, "But I can't be sure, these fucking flowers are messin' up my senses."

Lucy giggled slightly, "I think they smell great." She bent down, picking one of the purple flowers from the ground, "Like lavender and fresh blueberries."

Scoffing, Natsu wrinkled his nose. "'Course you think they smell good, you gotta weak _human_ nose. What are those useless things even for?" The blonde glared at him, grabbed his ear and yanking him to her height.

"I'll have you know that I, for one, have a perfectly nice-" A voice interrupted her.

"Identify yourselves."

Natsu reacted instantly, holding his arm in front of Lucy and staring at the intruder, Happy standing faithfully at his side. "Who are you?" he growled, scales creeping up his arms. Flames flickered at his fingertips as he stood his ground. Lucy wacked his shoulder lightly, pushing herself in front of him.

"I apologise for my friend, he lacks people skills." Lucy took this moment to turn and glare at Natsu, before swivelling around to smile at the man "We didn't know this area was restricted, I mean, it is a forest and it didn't have any warning signs or anyth-".

"Identify yourselves." He spoke again, and, although calm, a slight edge had crept into his voice.

Lucy gulped, "Uh, my name is Lucy and this is my friend Natsu. But as I was saying, we didn't know about-"

"Permission to speak has not be granted. You shall be apprehended and await trial by the law of the great Queen Titania, refrain from any speech before said period." The man scowled, lifting his hand to straighten his tie and run a hand through his shaggy, grey hair.

"Well excuse you," the blonde began, hands tightening into small fists, "I'd have you know-"

A dart suddenly shot from the man's brief case, cutting through the air and heading straight towards Lucy. She didn't even have time to flinch.

"What the **fuck** ," Natsu seethed, dart perched between his fingers, "do you think you're doing?". The man looked shocked, the corners of his eyes wrinkling and his glasses falling to the bridge of his nose.

"I- um- how did you- that's not meant to be possible-" he cleared his throat, "I mean- resisting arrest can result in a harsher sentence, please refrain from any speech before trial period."

Natsu stalked forward, scales covering his entire form as flames scorched the grass behind him. "Listen you fuck," he jabbed a thumb into the man's chest, "no one cares about that shit. What I want to know is why the _fuck_ you thought it would be a good idea to shoot a _tranquiliser_ at my friend here." He gestured to Lucy, scales disappearing from his hand as he did so.

"Wait," Lucy chuckled, Natsu's scales flickered away at the sound, "we didn't even do anything, why did you try to tranquilise me?"

"I did what I had to for my Queen, I will not apologise for my actions. Especially to a _dragon."_ He spat the word out like it was acid on his tongue, "I didn't realise at first, but now I know. What is the princess doing with a beast like you?"

The blonde visibly shivered, lifting her scarf so it covered her face, "How did you know about that?"

"Oh come on Lucille, you're the spitting image of your mother. How do you expect to go anywhere-"

"Leave her the fuck alone you dick!" Natsu lifted his fist and wacked him in the face, his form crumpling into a pathetic heap as he let out a painful whine.

"YEAH, AND STAY DOWN YOU- what're you doin'?" the dragon questioned. The man had reached inside his suit and pulled out a small tube of powder, sprinkling it across the flowers. "Bit of gardening there?" Natsu laughed. Almost immediately as he did so, the flowers began to react, releasing a thick, green gas.

"What is that!?" Lucy questioned, the gas haven already reached Natsu. Said dragon began to cough, hacking into his arm in short, gasping breaths. "Natsu!" Lucy yelled, running towards him, "Happy!".

Happy had also inhaled the gas, his blue body falling as he struggled to remain conscious. "Stay away Luce." Natsu chocked, clutching his throat.

"No," Lucy resolved, "no I won't do that."

The gas was everywhere now. Weaving between the trees and rising towards the canopy, the green fog spilling to all corners of the forest. Natsu and Happy were passed out, bodies slumped against the purple flowers. Lucy was also close to their fate, he eyes dropping heavily.

As she took her last glance around her, she could faintly see the blurry form of a man, with shaggy, grey hair and a dark suit, brief case still at his side.

"Goodnight Lucille. I hope you like fairies."

_._._._._._

"I FUCKING HATE FAIRIES!" Natsu screamed, pounding his fists on the bars of the cage. "WHEN I GET OUT HERE, I'M GONNA RIP YOU A NEW ONE, YA HEAR?"

Lucy shook her head, looking across her own cage at Natsu. "Come on Nat, let's calm down. Maybe this is just a _huge_ misunderstanding? I doubt the Queen even knows we've been apprehended."

"Yeah right," Natsu groaned, dropped himself down on the floor of his cell, "I'm sure the Queen of the Faires has nothing to do with us being in a dungeon awaiting trial with thE QUEEN OF THE FUCKING FAIRIES!"

"The day you learnt sarcasm is the day I wish I died." The blonde said, lifting her sweaty palms from the bars. "We need to figure out how to get out of here, and we can't do that whilst you're being a sarcastic prat."

That shut him up. Lifting himself from the floor, he paced across the small cell, feet loud against the stone. His hair was dishevelled – even more so than usual – and his eyes were heavy with exhaustion. Lucy smiled sympathetically, he looked so tired and she wanted nothing more than to let him rest, but that wasn't an option at the moment.

They both settled into a comfortable silence, only the sound of Natsu's pacing echoing throughout the dungeon. And that was how it remained for a few hours, Natsu letting out the occasional whine of frustration and the odd ' _you okay Luce?' or 'not you hurt anywhere?'_. Lucy was too busy worrying about Happy, not haven seen any sign of their blue friend.

"There's someone coming." Natsu abruptly stated, turning to the entrance.

"What do you-"

"Good evening visitors." Said a voice, thick and heavy with resentment, "I do hope you have been making yourself at home." The woman was stoic and calm, scarlet hair fluttering down her shoulders, resting against her armour.

"Like hell we have!" Natsu growled, flinging himself at the bars, hands aflame. "Why did you bring us here?"

"A better question is - why were you in the Fairy Kingdom's Forest?" The woman questioned, resting her arms so they were knitted around her chest.

"We were on our way to Magnolia." Lucy answered, "We're looking for a dragon."

The redhead seemed amused, "And why is the missing Princess and a fire dragon looking for _another_ dragon, may I ask?"

The princess suddenly became annoyed, brown eyes meeting the women. "I stopped being a princess the second I abandoned my country. A princess protects their country above all else," her eyes jerked to Natsu, "I abandoned that rule eleven years ago; I am no princess."

"Interesting," the woman quirked the corner of her mouth in mirth, "The name's Erza."

"What?"

"My name is Erza. My subordinate tells me you go by Lucy, Lucille? And this is Natsu." Erza gestured to the man, who had been strangely quiet during their ordeal. He stared at Lucy, his signature smirk never leaving his lips. Unspoken words were held in that smirk.

"Yeah, uh, my name's Lucy." she stumbled, "Do you mind letting us out Ms. Erza? We were meant to go on trial but we really need to get going." Lucy chose her words carefully, now realising that she just snapped at the person who was holding her captive. _Not a great idea on her part_ , Lucy thought, _but hey, you live and you learn._

"Oh, no need to worry." Erza reassured, "Your trial is complete. You can join me for tea and be on your way."

.

.

.

"WHAT?" Lucy and Natsu synced.

"I thought the name would give it away. Oh well," Erza sighed, removing her breast plate so that shimmering wings were visible, "I am Erza Scarlet, also known as Titania, Queen of the fairies."

Lucy was shocked, face twisted so that her mouth hung open, eyes wider than she thought possible. Her friend wasn't much better, eyeing the translucent wings in awe, the shape and texture so different than his own. His were so large and angry, holding strong against his flames. Erza's wings looked like tissue paper, so easily broken.

"Well?" Erza smirked, clicking their cells open, "Shall we leave?"

_._._._._._

The food was fantastic. Natsu and Lucy had been deprived of anything but fish and berries for the past few days, so the large beef roast tasted like nectar. The blonde, ever respectful, was eating calmly, cutting into the tender meat and chewing slowly. However, Natsu was a different story. The fire dragon ate like a starved animal, tearing into food with no regard for anything – or anyone – around him.

Happy had joined them as well, perched in the corner of the grand room, ravishing the large slab of meat almost as savagely as Natsu had.

"Thank you so much Queen Scarlet." The blonde grinned at the woman, "We haven't eaten like this since Clover Town, and we haven't been there in two years." Natsu nodded in agreement.

The queen dipped he gaze to her food, cutting her food and lifting it to her mouth, pausing, "It's okay to drop formalities, Lucille."

"Okay, thank you Erza. Natsu," Lucy nudged him, "say thank you to the Queen, she's done a lot for us."

"I don't see why," Natsu whined through mouthfuls of food, "we wouldn't be here in the first place if it hadn't been for- Ouch! What the heck was that for Luce?"

"For being rude."

"It's fine Lucille, I shall deal out my own punishment to those who defy me." As quick as lightning, Erza flew across the table, whacking Natsu swiftly in the jaw.

"HOLY MOTHER FUC-"

"Language!" Erza yelled, hitting him again.

Lucy collapsed to the floor, holding her sides. "This," Lucy gasped between heaves of laughter, "is the peak."

"Lucy! I thought we were friends." Natsu cried, holding both sides of face as they began to swell.

The blonde didn't even acknowledge him, "Holy mother, I think I'm gonna piss myself."

"LUCY!" Natsu wailed again, "WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FRIENDS!"

"Okay, okay I'm done." Lucy wiped tears from her eyes, lifting herself to her feet. "I'm sorry Natsu. Forgive me?"

"Don't look at me like- ugh fine." He draped an arm over her shoulder, pinching her cheek so it turned red, "And Queen lady," He turned to Erza, "I'm not gonna let you hit me like that again." He clicked his tongue, "I let it happen this time cause kinda I deserved it-"

Lucy laughed, "Stop acting like you had a say in the matter."

"I _let_ it happen."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"I _did!"_

"This conversation is going nowhere. Anway, we should probably get going." The blonde decided, "Is there anything we can do for you before we leave, Erza?"

"Actually," Erza hesitated, "You said you were going to Magnolia, no?" Lucy nodded, "Do you might giving this letter to someone for me?" She pulled the letter from her boot, smoothing out the edges before handing it to Lucy, "His name is Jellal, Jellal Fernandes. He's a wizard and- he's really important to me." A tint of pink blossomed on her face.

"Consider it done."

And that was how they met Erza Scarlet, Queen of the Fairies.

_._._._._._

 **Hey everyone! Sorry for the shortish chapter, I've been super busy this week and didn't have much time to write** **But I hope you enjoyed anyway! I'm gonna try and stay consistent with my updates but it's a lot harder than I thought it'd be, so sorry if I miss a week.**

 **Anyway, thanks again for everyone who reviewed. Reading them really makes me smile :) Feel free to point out any mistakes as well. Until next time,**

 **-Jasper**


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